Same-level slips, trips, and falls are occupational hazards that can be found in almost every type of work setting. When considering workplace falls, most people immediately think of falls from a height, yet, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the majority of fall-related injuries occur as a result of falls from same-level walking surfaces. In fact, according to the BLS, falls on the same level increased in 2013 for general industry and construction.
Safety professionals today believe that human factors play a key role in these incidents. Workers fail to identify the risk of a slip, trip, or fall hazard, wear inappropriate shoes, and even text while walking, which lead to potential mishaps.
To learn about the role of human error in slips, trips, & falls (STF) in the workplace, BLR partnered with SafeStart to survey 1,200+ safety pros. Check out the infographic below to see the highlights.
I work in an organization where there are lots of out door workers braving the elements, and yes we do suffer lots of slips, trips and falls incidents. Other factors include a job type that is conducive to rushing and cutting corners. Add all these up and you get an incident waiting to happen. Note I did not mention frustration, complacency and focus on the task and conditions.
Make it worst, what if we add the complexity of human behaviour in general into the equation. What I am saying is that with all these prevention strategies in place people are still likely to get hurt – are we not infallible afterall?